Treatment of distal ureteral calculi with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Experience with 264 cases.

Ureteroendoscopy is used by most authors to approach distal ureteral calculi. With increasing experience extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) of distal ureteral calculi has gained importance. The success rate of 96% in a large series of 264 consecutive patients treated in this manner, confirmed the results of other authors. Excluding women of child-bearing age and very large calculi (over 2 cm), ESWL is a suitable treatment modality for distal ureteral calculi.